If no Michigan State underclassmen leave for NBA, Spartans could be top-10 preseason team

Michigan State's Derrick Nix, left, and Adreian Payne sit on the bench near the end of the game against Duke in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Friday, March 29, 2013. Michigan State lost the game, 71-61.J. Scott Park | MLive.com

"I think most of them will be back," Izzo said after the
Spartans' season-ending NCAA tournament loss to Duke. "I think all of them will
be back except (senior Derrick) Nix, but who knows?"

Harris, the Big Ten freshman of the year, led the Spartans
as a 41-percent shooter from 3-point range and was second on the team averaging
12.9 points per game.

Payne led the team averaging 7.6 rebounds per game, more
than a blocked shot per game, and was a 54-percent shooter who developed his
outside shot.

The NCAA deadline for underclassmen to withdraw their names
from the draft and retain eligibility is April 16, with April 28 being the NBA's
deadline for early entry. If Harris and Payne return, Nix likes the team's
chances.

"I think they got a pretty good team if everyone comes back,"
Nix said. "Hopefully, they do. They can be top five, top 10 next year."

Without the 6-foot-9, 270-pound Nix, the Spartans return six
of their top seven scorers from a team that tied for second during the Big Ten
regular season and advanced to the Sweet 16.

Michigan State has received a verbal commitment from
6-foot-9, 240-pound Gavin Schilling and also will have 6-foot-8, 240-pound
redshirt freshman Kenny Kaminski eligible to play.